1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a device for dialog between at least one operator of an aircraft and at least one system of the aircraft. This system includes the functions which are liable to be initiated by the dialog device, under the action of the operator, so that they can be executed.
In the context of this invention:
“execution of a function” means, in particular:
implementing a command to an element (engine, lighting, etc.) of the aircraft, or a particular action;
data entry;
access to pages of information on a screen; and/or
access to additional information or actions without changing a page;
the system, e.g., a flight management device, may include “procedures” for navigation, communication, monitoring and/or flight management of the aircraft, and “procedures” for managing elements such as engines or lighting, or alarms of the aircraft.
The dialog is implemented via at least one window which is displayed on at least one screen, in general a screen on the flight deck, and which is of an “interactive” type. In the context of this invention, “interactive window” means a window which includes responsive objects (points, ranges, alphanumeric values, lists, menus, etc.) which are associated respectively with particular functions of the above-mentioned type, and which respond to the presence of a cursor. The cursor can be displaced by an appropriate device which can be actuated by an operator of the aircraft, in such a way that it can be displaced to a responsive object to designate or mark it. When a responsive object is designated, i.e., when the cursor is displaced to it, the responsive object is marked or highlighted, in particular by a change of appearance such as a change of color or increased brightness. The responsive object is then said to have an “object marker” or “focus.”
Confirmation (using an appropriate controllable device) of a responsive object which has such an object marker initiates the execution of the function which is associated with said responsive object.
2. Discussion of the Background
Various dialog devices which are capable of implementing the designation and confirmation of a responsive object of this type are known.
In particular, from Patent FR-2 677 149, a device for reviewing the lateral flight plan of an aerodyne is known. This known device includes a designation device which is fitted with a confirmation element, and which is connected to the processor of the flight management system of the aerodyne in such a way as to obtain, on the screen of this system, as well as the geographical representation of the flight plan which the pilot initially selected:
a responsive field associated with each point of the screen;
dynamic function ranges which are used to compose menus; the function which is assigned to each of these ranges can vary from one menu to another and is indicated on the display corresponding to this range; and
a luminous index, the movements of which on the screen are controlled by the pilot acting on the designation device, in such a way that the index can be displaced to a range or a responsive field;
the function which corresponds to this range is activated, or a point of the area is selected, by the pilot acting on the confirmation element.
Additionally, from Patent FR-2 743 921, a device, which is part of a global control system of an airplane, to aid in aerial navigation of the airplane, is known. This system includes, in particular, a Flight Management System (FMS) and interfaces for dialog with the pilot, including, among other things, information display screens for navigation and piloting, and a display and data entry console of the Multipurpose Control Display Unit (MCDU) type. This MCDU console includes a keyboard which is exclusively intended for data entry, a screen and devices to make it possible to select fields which are displayed on the screen and to activate the selected field to initiate operations which are related to what is displayed. These selection and activation devices make it possible to:
displace a cursor in a menu which is displayed on the screen, to select a field which this menu offers; for instance, the brightness of this field increases when the cursor is displaced to this field; and
to activate a selected field.
Functions which are initiated in this way (designation of the associated responsive object and confirmation) by the dialog device are, in general, functions which were planned in advance and carried out at a particular moment during, before or after the flight.
However, it may happen during a flight (or even before or after the flight) that the crew of an aircraft is obliged, sometimes urgently, to carry out particular actions, i.e., is obliged to initiate execution of particular functions, which cannot be anticipated. This is in general the case when the pilot is alerted by various systems of the aircraft to a change in the operational situation of the aircraft, requiring him or her to deal with it urgently, e.g., dealing with a failure or generating a response to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) message.
Now, at the moment when such a request to deal with something occurs, it is possible that the pilot is in the course of initiating execution of another function, which may be habitual or not, and the cursor has been displaced to the corresponding window for this purpose.
In such a situation, with the dialog devices which are disclosed by the above-mentioned Patents FR-2 677 149 and FR-2-743 921, the pilot has two options:
either he or she interrupts the function which is in the course of execution and displaces the cursor to the window which contains the new function (e.g., an emergency function), to designate and confirm the responsive object which is associated with this new function;
or he or she waits, before initiating the new function, until the function in progress has been fully executed.
Of course, neither of these possibilities is satisfactory.
It should be noted that, in the case of a dialog device such as is described in document U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,141, containing two cursor displacement devices each of which is capable of controlling one cursor, and which are intended for two different operators (e.g., the pilot and copilot of the aircraft), the emergency function can be initiated by the operator who is not controlling the function which is being executed, obviously in the case that this operator is not controlling any function.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,141 describes a flight deck which contains, in particular, multiple screens, a multi-functional control unit, two keyboards (or voice-operated systems) which are exclusively intended for data entry, and a dialog interface. This dialog interface includes at least two identical cursor control devices, in the form of control balls or spheres, one of which is intended for the pilot and the other for the copilot. These control balls make it possible to displace the corresponding cursors continuously on the screens, to designate responsive objects. Additionally, in the case that two different cursors designate the same responsive object, the command from the cursor which did the designation first has precedence, because no priority is provided between the different operators.
However, in the case that the two operators are both in the course of initiating execution of functions using their dialog devices, or in the case that one of the two is occupied on other tasks, if an emergency function has to be executed, the situation is the same as before, with the same dilemma, i.e., whether to interrupt the function in progress and initiate execution of the emergency function, or to terminate the function in progress before initiating execution of the emergency function.